Improving the functioning, performance and access to justice in Tunisia (AP- JUST)
January 2019- December 2022
Context of the project
The European Union is supporting the reform of justice in Tunisia through important cooperation programmes. As part of its neighbourhood policy, the Council of Europe has established close cooperation with Tunisia from 2011, to support democratic political transition based on common values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. One of the priorities of this partnership has been and remains supporting the justice reform. The two international organisations, which work in partnership on the basis of shared values and standards, have decided to continue sharing their efforts in the framework of this joint programme supporting justice sector reform in Tunisia.
Project's objectives
The "AP-JUST" programme aims at strengthening, further developing, deepening and sustaining justice reform with a view to improve the quality and effectiveness of day to day justice service functioning provided by courts to Tunisian litigants.
Expected outcomes
- Laws and policies in the area of justice comply with European standards;
- Capacities of justice stakeholders: judges, lawyers, clercks... are strengthened and litigants benefit from a better quality of services;
- Functioning and governance of the judicial system are improved and more efficient.
Main activities
- Counselling, analysis and expertise to review legislative and policy frameworks: needs assessments, mapping of legal, institutional and political frameworks; legal reviews, opinions, reports and recommendations based on the methodologies of the Council of Europe with the participation of the Council of Europe's networks of experts;
- Capacity building: tailored assistance; counselling, training/training of trainers and other forms of technical support; availability of tools and methodologies for the implementation of priority reforms aimed at developing new capacities and competencies.
- Networking and peer exchange: participation of Tunisian experts in Council of Europe networks; round tables/expert working groups, peer reviews and exchanges of good practices.
- Communication and outreach tools: awarenessraising and advocacy activities; publications, translations and dissemination of relevant materials in Arabic, French and English; online awareness activities and social networks
Project beneficiaries and stakeholders
Ministry of Justice, High Judiciary Institute (ISM), High Judiciary Council (CSM), Tunisian courts, Tunisian judges and prosecutors
Project coordinator - Council of Europe office in Tunis (Tunisia)
Narjes Tira
Field officer - Council of Europe office in Tunis (Tunisia)
Project coordinator - Council of Europe in Strasbourg
Sandrine Lutz
Project assistant - Council of Europe in Strasbourg
Project assistant- Council of Europe office in Tunis (Tunisia)
- Declaration on lessons learnt and Challenges faced by the judiciary during and after the Covid-19 Pandemic
- Overview of the CEPEJ (information leaflet)
- SATURN revised guidelines for judicial time management (CEPEJ(2014)16) - 12 December 2014
- The 15 main guidelines of the SATURN Centre for judicial time management
- Handbook (summary of the methodology) for the implementation of the tools of the SATURN Centre for judicial time management
- A model of report concerning judicial time management
- Guidelines on the role of court-appointed experts in judicial proceedings of Council of Europe's Member States (CEPEJ(2014)14), 12 December 2014
- Handbook for conducting satisfaction surveys aimed at Court users in Council of Europe's member States (CEPEJ(2010)1 - 26 novembre 2010)
- Handbook for satisfaction surveys aimed at lawyers (CEPEJ(2010)1)
- Checklist for promoting the quality of justice and the courts (CEPEJ(2008)2), 3 juillet 2008
- Recommandation CM/Rec(2010)12 on judges: independence, efficiency and responsibilities (17 November 2010)
- Guidelines for a better implementation of the existing Council of Europe's recommendation on enforcement (CEPEJ(2009)11Rev2) - 17 December 2009)
- Joint Programme - South Programme 3 (2018-2020)
- Country profile Tunisia - CEPEJ website
- Website of the Office of the Directorate General of Programmes of the Council of Europe (ODGP)
- Website of the Office of the Council of Europe in Tunis (Tunisia) [in French]
- Internet website of the european Union - Tunisia [in French]
CEPEJ organised a conference with the Tunisian Court of Cassation, on the United Departments : situation and perspectives
The Tunisian Court of Cassation, the Tunisian Ministry of Justice and the CEPEJ co-organised on 12 and 13 May 2022 a conference in Tunis on the united departments : situation and perspectives aiming at exchanging on their composition, status, missions and harmonisation of their jurisprudence. The...
Conference on the digitalisation of justice
In the framework of the joint European Union/Council of Europe program aimed at improving the functioning, performance and access to justice in Tunisia (AP-JUST) co-financed by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the latter, the European Commission for the Efficiency...
Seminar for Tunisian Lawyers on "Artificial Intelligence and Justice: Comparative European Experiences
On 2 December 2021, the CEPEJ, in cooperation with the Tunisian National Bar Association (ONAT), organised a seminar for Tunisian lawyers on "Artificial Intelligence and Justice: Comparative European Experiences” in Hammamet. This seminar, which is part of a series of events concerning the reform...
Workshop on the Handbook of Good Practice on Judicial Expertise in Tozeur (Tunisia)
Following the workshop of 29 October in Hammamet, the CEPEJ, in cooperation with the Tunisian Ministry of Justice, organised on 26 November a workshop on the draft Handbook of Good Practice on Judicial Expertise, which is being prepared by judges, lawyers and judicial experts from the region of...
Second Workshop on the Lawyer and Electronic procedures for Tunisian Lawyers
On 11 November 2021, the CEPEJ, in cooperation with the Tunisian National Bar Association (ONAT), organised a second seminar for Tunisian lawyers on electronic procedures, following a first seminar organised on 21 October 2021. An analysis of the existing situation and the resources available in...
Consultation on the Manual of good practice on judicial expertise in Tunisia
The CEPEJ, in partnership with the Ministry of Justice, organised on 29 October 2021 in Hammamet (Tunisia), a regional consultation and dissemination seminar on the draft manual of good practice on judicial expertise. The aim of this event was to present a first version of this document, produced...
Seminar on "The Lawyer and Electronic Procedures: Insights on Comparative European Experiences" for Tunisian Lawyers
On 21 October 2021, the CEPEJ, in cooperation with the Tunisian National Bar Association (ONAT), is organising a seminar on "The Lawyer and electronic procedures: a look at comparative European experiences" for Tunisian lawyers. The seminar will consist of a presentation, by CEPEJ experts, of...
Workshop in Tunisia " Introducing mediation training: overview of the CEPEJ Guidelines and relevant European experiences”
In continuity of the actions dedicated to mediation initiated since the beginning of the year, the CEPEJ, in cooperation with the Tunisian National Bar Association (ONAT) organised on 5th October 2021 an online workshop on introducing mediation training in the country. During this workshop which...
Workshop on mediation in Tunisia: Exchanges about the introduction of mediation in a country in the light of the CEPEJ guidelines and the comparative European experiences
In continuity of the actions dedicated to mediation initiated since the beginning of the year, the CEPEJ, in cooperation with the Tunisian National Bar Association (ONAT) organised on 12 July 2021 a workshop dedicated to the integration of mediation in a national system. Regarding the existing...
Seminar on "Mediation in civil matters: practices and foundations" for Tunisian lawyers
From 22 to 24 June 2021, the CEPEJ, in cooperation with the National Order of Tunisian Lawyers (ONAT), is organising 3 seminars on “Mediation in civil matters and foundations”. Comparative European experiences, practices and foundations will be presented by the CEPEJ experts. This event is a...
Online conference on artificial intelligence in the field of justice for future Tunisian magistrates
In the framework of the support to the initial training of Tunisian magistrates, in partnership with the Tunisian Higher Institute for Magistracy (ISM) and the Tunisian Ministry of Justice, the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) is organising an online conference on the...
Online conference on the role of the judge in mediation for future Tunisian magistrates
An online conference on "The Judge and Mediation" will be jointly organised by the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ), the Tunisian High Institute of Magistracy and the Tunisian Ministry of Justice on 11 June 2021 in the framework of the support of the initial training of...
Conclusions of the seminar on possible solutions for a better management of cases in courts at the time of the Covid-19 crisis for Tunisian magistrates and registrars
Magistrates and chief registrars from different jurisdictions met on 5 May to exchange with CEPEJ international and national experts on best practices for the internal management of European and Tunisian courts in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic The main conclusions of this videoconference...
CEPEJ works with lawyers to develop expertise on civil mediation
On 28 May 2021, the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) and the Tunisian National Bar Association (ONAT) will co-organise a seminar on "Mediation in civil matters: which practices and which foundations?" for the attention of Tunisian lawyers. During this event, European...
Conference on the internal management of the general inspectorate of the Ministry of justice of Tunisia at the time of covid 19: comparative experiences
The CEPEJ, in partnership with the Tunisian Ministry of Justice organised on 17 December 2020, a videoconference on the following topic: "The internal management of the General Inspectorate at the time of COVID 19: exchanges and comparative experiences". The aim of this videoconference was to...
Tunisian lawyers are trained in mediation
A training course on "The lawyer and mediation" was organised on 30 and 31 March in semi-face-to-face format in Tunis. Aimed at lawyers, it was organized in partnership with the National Order of Lawyers (ONAT) as part of the AP-JUST "Improving functioning, performance and access to justice in...
Training of Tunisian clerks of justice in the financial and administrative management of the regional administrations of the Ministry of Justice
A first training workshop, organised in Tunis from 5 to 8 April 2021, enabled 25 clerks of justice and agents from the regional administrations of the Ministry of Justice of Bizerte, Beja and Tunis to meet in compliance with health rules and to be trained in administrative and financial...
Mediation training seminar for Tunisian lawyers
The CEPEJ, with the support of the European Union and in partnership with the Tunisian National Bar Association (ONAT) organised on 19 February 2021 a training seminar by videoconference on "The lawyer and mediation". The seminar was opened by Mr Hatem MZIOU, Secretary General of the Tunisian...
The distance trial in Tunisia: state of play and lessons learned
Consecrated by Decree-Law No. 2020-12 of 27 April 2020 supplementing the Code of Criminal Procedure, several remote criminal trials have recently been organised in Tunisia. In order to take stock of the situation, draw the first lessons and reflect on these recent experiences, a round table was...
Conference on the lawyer and judicial time: a look at the Tunisian and European experiences
Within the framework of the joint European Union/Council of Europe program aiming at improving the functioning, performance and access to justice in Tunisia (AP-JUST) co-financed by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the latter, the CEPEJ in cooperation with the...
CEPEJ organised a conference with the Tunisian Court of Cassation, on the United Departments : situation and perspectives
The Tunisian Court of Cassation, the Tunisian Ministry of Justice and the CEPEJ co-organised on 12 and 13 May 2022 a conference in Tunis on the united departments : situation and perspectives aiming at exchanging on their composition, status, missions and harmonisation of their jurisprudence. The...
Conference on the digitalisation of justice
In the framework of the joint European Union/Council of Europe program aimed at improving the functioning, performance and access to justice in Tunisia (AP-JUST) co-financed by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the latter, the European Commission for the Efficiency...
Seminar for Tunisian Lawyers on "Artificial Intelligence and Justice: Comparative European Experiences
On 2 December 2021, the CEPEJ, in cooperation with the Tunisian National Bar Association (ONAT), organised a seminar for Tunisian lawyers on "Artificial Intelligence and Justice: Comparative European Experiences” in Hammamet. This seminar, which is part of a series of events concerning the reform...
Workshop on the Handbook of Good Practice on Judicial Expertise in Tozeur (Tunisia)
Following the workshop of 29 October in Hammamet, the CEPEJ, in cooperation with the Tunisian Ministry of Justice, organised on 26 November a workshop on the draft Handbook of Good Practice on Judicial Expertise, which is being prepared by judges, lawyers and judicial experts from the region of...
Second Workshop on the Lawyer and Electronic procedures for Tunisian Lawyers
On 11 November 2021, the CEPEJ, in cooperation with the Tunisian National Bar Association (ONAT), organised a second seminar for Tunisian lawyers on electronic procedures, following a first seminar organised on 21 October 2021. An analysis of the existing situation and the resources available in...
International conference for sharing experiences on the reorganisation of the Court of Cassation in Tunisia - 7 and 8 November 2019
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